I first found out about these DIY Shaking Bottles or sensory bottles from a stay-at-home Dad/friend, who made them for his son to enjoy. He also makes them and gives them out as gifts. I love a toddler activity that’s easy, looks great and provides opportunities for learning too!
DIY Sensory Bottles
I’ve had my eyes peeled for a number of weeks, looking for the perfect bottles to make a set of shaking bottles of our own. I finally found some at during a trip to a salvage grocery store. Whoo-hoo! Hopefully these will help entertain our youngest during a long road trip coming up.
Related: More fun activities for toddlers and babies.
Supplies you need to make your own Shaking Bottle Toddler Toy
- Some small, fun bottles
- Gorilla Glue
- a variety of “fillers”: water, food colouring, hair gel, dish soap, oils, silica balls, coloured rice, tissue paper etc.
- Collection of stuff to put in your bottles: charms, beads, glitter, small plastic toys, buttons, etc.
How to A Super Easy and Fun Sensory Bottle
Step 1
Wash out a bottle with a cap lid.
Step 2
Add the charms, beads, etc to the inside of your bottle.
Step 3
Top off your bottle with water/liquid or whatever filler you’ve chosen. Liquid and oil is always a fun combo, but using plain oil or water always works as well. Avoid anything with sugar as it will probably start molding and smelling.
Step 4
Glue the lid back on and make sure it is tight and full dried before playing.
Craft Notes For Your DIY Sensory Bottle
I had used hot glue before and rubber cement, even super glue, for our “I Spy Rice Jars”.
The problem with hot glue and rubber cement is that it is malable. The problem with super glue is its ability to crack. My son was able to open the jars given enough time and boredom (both in abundance during road trips) using all those other glues.
Gorilla Glue is really tough! So far we’ve used it to put back together magnets, plastic doll heads, toy cars, etc. Its great stuff. I think I’ve finally found a glue that works!
Our Experience With These DIY Sensory Bottles
Hand your toy to your toddler to shake, bang and bite to their hearts content! Even my older preschoolers enjoy these bottles!
We play can you find the “dime” or whatever, it is a great way to keep them active on a trip. Hopefully, these will remain in one piece.
DIY Sensory Bottle For Kids
Make your own sensory bottle using bottles, items you have around the house like rice and beads, and some kind of liquids. Toddlers, preschoolers, and even kindergarten kids will love exploring and learning with these super easy to make sensory bottles.
Materials
- Some small, fun bottles
- Gorilla Glue
- a variety of “fillers”: water, food colouring, hair gel, dish soap, oils, silica balls, coloured rice, tissue paper etc.
- Collection of stuff to put in your bottles: charms, beads, glitter, small plastic toys, buttons, etc.
Instructions
- Wash out a bottle with a cap lid.
- Add the charms, beads, etc to the inside of your bottle.
- Top off your bottle with water/liquid or whatever filler you’ve chosen.
- Glue the lid back on and make sure it is tight and full dried before playing.
More Sensory Bottles And sensory Fun From Kids Activities Blog
- Check out this easy DIY Glowing sensory bottle for bedtime.
- Let’s make a glittery valentine sensory bottle.
- I love this easy DIY falling stars glitter jar craft for kids sensory bottle.
- Want to learn how to make a Pokémon sensory bottle?
- Learn how to make a sparkly DIY galaxy sensory jar.
- Here are 10 great vestibular movement activities for toddlers.
- Check out the 13 of the very best sensory activities for toddlers.
- If your child has sensory issues, then you’ll want to check out these 7 symptoms to identify sensory processing disorder.
- We have 200+ best sensory bin ideas for toddlers, preschoolers, and kindergarteners.
- This ocean themed sensory bag is perfect for toddlers!
- Learn how to make colored rice by dying it. Perfect for sensory bins.
- You have to try this silly straw activity for preschoolers.
And don’t miss these flash card templates for toddlers! or these easy cut and paste activities for toddlers!
Try out this learning activity for kids new to tying their shoes!
I know these are pretty popular. Have you made one? Share yours with us in the comments, we’d love to see the ones you made!
Muchos Gracias for your article post.Really looking forward to read more. Will read on…
De nada! Yay! Glad to have you here!
THANK YOU! i use to get these when i was little and have been looking for them for years but came up empty!
For anyone (like me) that stumbles upon this now…found the awesome bottles by Y Water: http://www.ywater.us/
Thank you! i use to get thee when i was little could never remember the name and have been looking for them for years!
This is an amazing idea! My children will surely love them and I could make some, too for friends’ kids.
For added safety, instead of water , you might consider using white vinegar. It has a less desirable taste so if the kids do get the top off they would be less likely to drink it….we used to do this with the water game toys back in the 70’s and 80’s after a cousin’s child became sick from drinking the water out of one of the toys.
just wanted to point out that the comments on here are awful. You might want to clean these up at some point so casual browsers like me can actually have a conversation.updating your blog
with more information? It is extremely helpful for me. Italian restaurant Carlton
Love this, does it have to be gorilla glue or will any superglue work?
Stuart
“I first found out about Shakey Bottles from a stay-at-home Dad/friend, he made them for his son to enjoy and also gave them out as gifts. I loved the concept and have had my eyes peeled for a number of weeks, looking for the perfect bottles! I finally found some at during a trip to a salvage grocery store. Whoohoo! Time to make our Shaking bottles! Hopefully these will help entertain our youngest during a long road trip coming up.”
These things look really beautiful. Thanks for sharing 🙂